Alexander Claus
by Rogue11
Summary: AU, Ghost Detective Universe -When a truck full of toys meant for a charity event is stolen by some petty crooks, it is up to everyone's favorite ghost to get them back and save Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A little Christmas story set in my Ghost Detective universe. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Alexander Claus  
**

"A Christmas party for the kids at the Children Cancer Center? Oh, I think that's a wonderful idea." Treize Khushrenada nodded enthusiastically.

Milliardo, his sister and he were sitting over a cup of hot chocolate in their living room, with Cabal resting peacefully at his master's feet. The house was filled with the smell of freshly baked ginger cookies, while a partially decorated Christmas tree indicated what the two men had been doing when Relena came calling. Outside the window, a flurry of snowflakes danced in the wind. Christmas was still two weeks away but a sudden cold snap had turned the town into a winter wonderland straight out of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.

"I agree. You definitely can count us in for a donation."

"Thank you, I do appreciate that." Relena smiled softly. "But what I really need are volunteers."

"Volunteers?!" her brother echoed.

"Yes. You see, everybody seems to be very willing to open their pocketbook, but only a few can spare time to help with the party itself and the preparations," she explained.

"What would we be volunteering for?" Treize wanted to know.

"Like every year our own sheriff's office, and the one from Broomswick county are holding their annual toy drive... From what I hear it's a bit of a competition between the two departments to collect the most toys. The looser has to provide Santa Claus."

"And what does the winner get?" Milliardo grinned.

"Bragging rights until next year, I guess," his sister shrugged. "Anyway, part of those toys are going to hospitals, foster homes and school in both counties, but this year a good portion of them will be earmarked for the new Children's Cancer center. They will have to be wrapped and labeled before the party. We also need food and refreshments, help with putting up the decorations which are handmade by the children at the clinic themselves."

"Wow, and you are in charge of all this, Lena? That's a very brave undertaking."

The young woman sighed. "Truth be told, bravery had less to do with it than ignorance. I had no idea what I was getting myself into."

In the kitchen a timer started to beep, and moments later they could hear noises, indicating that Alexander was removing the last batch of cookies from the oven.

It had been a couple weeks now since Relena had learned about the existence of her brother's ghostly housemate, but she was still amazed how easily Milliardo and Treize seemed to managed to involve him in their daily lives.

"So..." She looked hopefully at her older brother and the professor. "I can count on your guys, can't I?"

"Absolutely," Treize assured her. "What day is the party planned for?"

"Next Thursday, at 3:30 in the afternoon. But of course I would need the volunteers much earlier."

"Next Thursday...That would be the 18th, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Relena confirmed. "Is that a problem?"

"Well..." the professor exchanged a brief look with his lover.

"You see, we have tickets for opening night of 'The Nutcracker'." Milliardo explained. And after a quick glance toward the kitchen, from where they could still hear the clanging of dishes and baking sheets, he lowered his voice. "We are taking Alexander, for his Christmas present. It's supposed to be a surprise."

"Oh?!"

"But the ballet doesn't start until 7:00, so we should still be able to make it." Treize pointed out.

"Are you sure?" Relena asked. "I can't imagine those tickets were easy to come by."

"I'm sure," the professor nodded. "Even if we have to leave a little early, we can still be there to help with the preparations. And you know, I just thought of something... Several of our teachers at Marymount seem to love cooking and baking, they have been exchanging recipes and bringing in treats for weeks now. I'm sure some of them would be happy to help with the refreshments. I shall talk to them tomorrow and tell them to get in touch with you."

"Thanks, that would be lovely."

"And I think we could press Heero, Wufei, Duo, Trowa and Quatre into service as well." Milliardo suggested with a grin.

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. And maybe Alexander would like to come along too. I'm sure he could be very helpful," his sister suggested.

"No doubt about that." Treize agreed. "But I am not so sure about putting Alexander in the same room as a few dozen excited and screaming children."

"Oh?! Ghosts don't like children?"

"I wouldn't know about that, but according to what he told the son of a servant when he was still alive, Alexander never seemed to be very fond of them: 'Children, especially little boys are noisy, they touch things they shouldn't and tend not to be very particular about telling the truth' I believe were the words he used.

Relena couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe he was one of those people who just liked to project a certain image."

"I'm not so sure about that," her brother remarked. "Lena, remember the time when I got that Darth Vader mask with the voice changer box for my birthday?"

"Remember?" the young woman huffed. "My ears are **still** ringing from it. Good thing you didn't have it for very long. Whatever happened to it anyway?"

"That's just it. Nobody seems to know. I brought it with me when we came to Grandma's house. But a few hours into the visit, while we were sitting down for cake, it disappeared. I suspected Grandma hid it somewhere even though she always denied it. But now I am not so sure anymore..." Milliardo admitted.

"Well, it was a noisy and annoying thing. The worse toy ever, if you ask me." His sister checked her watch and sighed. "I hate to run, but I have piano lessons this afternoon. Normally it wouldn't take me more than fifteen minutes by car to get to Woodbridge, but in this weather... I will talk to you soon. " As she rose to her feet Relena leaned over to kiss Milliardo good-bye, and then after a brief moment of hesitation also placed a quick peck onto the professor's cheek. "Thanks again."

"Drive carefully," her brother warned.

" I will." Already on her way out Relena waved back at the two men, calling out as she passed the kitchen door: "Good bye, Alexander!"

####

One Week Later!

"Head's up, coming through!" Wufei warned as he made his way through the room with a pile of boxes filled with wrapping paper and ribbons. An atmosphere of organized chaos hung over the hospital's cafeteria as preparations for the Christmas party were in full swing.

In spite of Relena's fear of not having enough volunteers, people and businesses had lined up to help out once word about the event spread. There was just something about bringing a little joy to sick children that made everybody want to participate.

A local party goods store had donated the decorations, wrapping paper and ribbons and the volunteer fire department went out to cut the largest and most beautiful Christmas tree that fit the room. A group of volunteers were setting up the tables for the dessert bar, while a few others put the finishing touches on the tree.

"When are the presents coming?" Quatre wanted to know as he helped his friends set down the boxes. After all the toys still needed to be wrapped and labeled according to the wish list made by the children.

"Duo and Milliardo are getting them as we speak," Treize told him.

For the past few hours the truck, one of three that had been filled by the sheriff's departments' toy drive, had been parked across the street in the back lot of a large electronics store, away from the children's prying eyes. Duo was going to bring it around to the ambulance bay for quick unloading.

"So, who won the toy drive anyway?" Heero wanted to know as he walked in with another pile of boxed wrapping paper.

"**We** did! I heard the Broomswick sheriff himself will be playing Santa Clause." Trowa was wearing a green and red elf's hat and pointed shoes with jingle bells, not exactly a fashion statement, but testimony to his sense of humor.

"Well if you ask me, the real winners are...," Treize Khushrenada swallowed the rest of the sentence and frowned. The moment his lover had walked into the cafeteria he knew that something had happened.

"Milliardo?! What's wrong?"

"The truck with the toys is gone. Stolen!"

"What?! Are you sure?" Treize was almost sure that he hadn't heard right.

"Stolen?" Quatre echoed as he and the other's gathered around Milliardo and the professor.

The tall blonde nodded. "Duo is talking to the people at "Micro Outlet". Maybe one of them saw or heard anything."

Wufei was scowling. "Who would steal toys from sick children?"

"At Christmas time, no less," Quatre added. "That's just disgusting."

"I have a feeling," Heero interjected. "That toys is not what the crooks were after. A unmarked, unguarded truck in the back lot of an electronics store... I can image they are expecting TVs and Blue Ray Players, not hula hoops and teddy bears."

"That makes sense." Treize admitted. "But we'd better talk to the sheriff or someone about this."

"Wait," Milliardo stopped him. "There is more."

"More?" His lover threw him a guarded look.

The young man nodded. "I left my backpack in the truck while we were setting things up."

"Did you have anything important in it. Your wallet...cell phone...credit cards?"

"Worse."

"Worse?!"

Another nod. "Octavian's diary was in there."

Treize's eyes went wide. Around him he could hear a few sharply drawn breaths from his friends. _Alexander!_

"Alright!" The professor announced firmly. "It is 1:28 now. I got here by 11:40 and Duo and Milliardo were right behind me with the truck. It took them at least ten minutes or so to park it, lock it up and leave the lot. If we assume the thieves watched them and took the load right after they left, that gives them a good hour and 30 minute head start."

"That's still a long time. They could be anywhere by now." Trowa pointed out.

But Quatre raised his finger. "Wait! I just remembered. Duo went back to the truck to get a gas receipt Relena needed for her books. That was no more than 15 minutes ago."

"Right!" Milliardo agreed. "He came to me for the keys."

"Excellent!" Treize gave a satisfied nod. "That means the truck wasn't stolen until at least 1 pm."

"Make it 1:18," Duo Maxwell announced as he joined the group, earning himself a few surprised looks from his friends.

"That's when, according to a Micro Outlet cashier who had just arrived, the truck came shooting out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.- His words, not mine.- Last thing he saw was the truck's taillights as it took a left on Fairview and headed toward the Interstate."

"Did you talk to Sheriff Bonaparte?" Treize wanted to know.

"No, not yet."

"I will take care of that," Wufei volunteered.

"Good. Tell him what happened and everything we know," the professor instructed. "Maybe they can set up a roadblock or something. The rest of you, with me. We will fan out and search the area. Possibly they are still nearby or they have dumped the truck somewhere when they realized what their loot was."

"Hmm...," Duo scratched his chin. "Maybe Quatre can get some kind of lock on Alexander?"

"Maxwell," Trowa reminded him. "Quatre is not a GPS."

"No, but you know, it might be worth a try. If I get close enough to him I should be able to sense him." The young man grabbed his friend and bodyguard by the shoulder. "Let's go. Time is wasting."

###

"How much do you think we can make from all that junk?" the tall skinny man wondered with a look back at the load.

His companion shrugged. "Hopefully a lot."

"I bet ya there might be a few of those new 3D TV's in there. Everyone wants them from what I hear. It's the big thing this Christmas. Benny will pay extra for those."

The driver grinned. "Yes Virginia, there most definitively is a Santa Claus." Both men burst out into laughter and slapped each other High Five.

"Okay, slow down, Hugh. The last thing we need is for the cops to stop us for speeding now," the skinny crook told his partner. The words had barely left his lips when the truck stopped so sudden that both crooks got thrown forward by the force.

"What the heck?!" Carter shouted. "What did you do that for? I told you to slow down, not to give us whiplash."

"I didn't even touch the breaks," his partner tried to defend himself as he started the truck again.

"Just shut up and drive," the skinny thief growled.

###

"Anything?" Trowa had dropped his hat and abandoned the stylish elf shoes for a pair of solid leather boots before climbing into the BMW. It hadn't snowed for the past few days, and the streets had been cleared for the most part.

In the passenger seat beside him Quatre shook his head. "Maybe they took a turn somewhere."

"Maybe," he agreed. "Or maybe they dumped the backpack, or maybe they are hiding the truck in some garage near the hospital..." As far as he was concerned there were way too many maybes and not enough definitives in this equation.

Suddenly the car jerked, not once but twice, as first the right front wheel, then the back wheel drove over something other than solid road. Trowa hit the brakes. Tires screeched as the BMW came to a stop.

"I think I just hit something!"

Quatre had already unbuckled his seatbelt and had slipped out of the door while he was still turning off the engine. The young man was crouching near the back of the car when Trowa climbed out.

"Please tell me I didn't run over a child or someone's dog... "

"You did run over a dog, I'm afraid," Quatre confirmed solemnly, before adding with a ghost of a smirk on his face. "But I wouldn't worry too much. It didn't feel a thing."

Trowa let out a sigh of relief when his friend held up a wet and dirty bundle that only remotely resembled the stuffed animal it had been before the accident.

"What the heck is that?"

"Well, if you ask me. I'd say it's a breadcrumb."

"Little big for a breadcrumb, isn't it?" the young man scratched his head.

Quatre shrugged. "I guess Alexander wanted to make sure we wouldn't overlook it." He slipped off his jacket, wrapping it around the toy before tossing the bundle in the BMW's backseat.

"Let's get going. I'm going to call Treize and let him know we are on the right track."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!"

###

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hugh gave his partner an annoyed look.

"It sounded like something was moving in the back.

"I didn't hear anything. Maybe a couple of boxes or something are sliding around."

"No, it sounded different." the lanky crook insisted, but before he could add anything else Hugh suddenly jerked the steering wheel to the left. The truck swerved, avoiding a street sign by mere inches.

"What the hell are you doing? I swear, I will kill you if you get us arrested just because you don't know how to drive."

"It's not my fault! Something is wrong with the truck, I tell you." Hugh claimed, when suddenly the windshield wipers came to life.

"What the hell?!" he tried to turn them off, hitting the switch several times without luck. Only when he slammed his fist onto the dashboard in a fit of anger did the wipers finally stop. But before the thief could even let out a sigh of relief the trucks backup warning sound started to ring out.

"Beep... Beep...Beep..." the signal blared even though the vehicle was moving forward. Luckily they had reached the interstate where traffic was thin at this time of the day.

"For god sake, turn that off!"

"I'm trying, okay?!Nothing works the way it is supposed to. The damn truck's got to be possessed or something."

"Yeah right," Carter snorted. "Pull over. Now! I'm driving."

"Fine!" His partner growled as he slammed his foot onto the brake. "Be my guest."

The vehicle came to a stop at the side of the road and both men jumped out at about the same time. They were rounding the cab when a noise from the truck stopped them in their tracks.

"There, did you hear it this time? You still going to tell me it's probably just the load sliding around?" The skinny thief scoffed.

Hugh didn't answer. Instead his hand disappeared under his jacket and went for the handgun tucked into the back of his belt.

"Are you out of your mind? Put that thing away!" Carter hissed at him.

"Oh shut up." Hugh growled as he headed for the back of the truck.

* * *

TBC

Author's ramblings: The year is almost over and I have come to realize that I have fallen far far behind with my writing (what else is new). Both Museum and Piano were supposed to be close to finished by now so that I can start concentrating on Blood Ties in the new year, which was always supposed to climax between the dates of 5/6/13 and 6/5/13 (no pun intended).  
I suppose I spent too much time over the summer on my Dragon King Lego project. No regrets there, however. I loved building it. In case you are interested check out my website for it. The link is on my profile page.  
In any case, I will do my best to get those stories finished as soon as possible and start working on Blood Ties.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A little Christmas story set in my Ghost Detective universe. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Alexander Clause  
**  
Chapter 2

Treize had just finished a call with Sheriff Bonaparte when his phone started to ring again. The professor recognized the ring tone at once.

"It's Quatre," he told his lover who was driving the car. "I wonder if they have any news?"

Pushing the 'talk' button he raised the phone to his ear. "Treize here. How are things going, Quatre?"

"Hey. Just wanted to let you know, the truck took the Culver Street off ramp and headed south on the interstate."

"You found them?"

"Not yet." Quatre admitted. "But I think we are hard on their tail. Alexander has been helping us out ."

"How is he?" Treize wanted to know.

"I'm not sure. We haven't gotten close enough yet for me to sense him. But he has been leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs, so I assume he is alright."

"Breadcrumbs?" the professor echoed.

"Well, let's just say we lost a couple of toys here and there."

"Okay. I just talked to the sheriff. They have a dozen or so police cars all over town and a helicopter in the air. I will call him back and tell him to direct them toward the interstate. The chopper should be there within a few minutes. You guys play it safe, okay? Don't get too close. We don't know if those guys are armed and how they will react if driven into a corner."

"Got it." Quatre confirmed. "I will let you know when anything new comes up."

"Roger that." Treize nodded as he ended the call. When he glanced over at his lover he noticed Milliardo was watching him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." The young man shook his head. "I was just wondering... Do you ever miss it?"

Treize looked a little puzzled. "Miss what?"

"Your old job. The military, being in command...? You know, this is the second time now you have taken control of a situation and the 'troops'."

"Did I? Sorry!"

"No, no. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I'm just wondering if you are truly happy just being a teacher."

The professor shrugged. "There was a time when I couldn't imagine being anything but a soldier. It's what I was groomed for for as long as I could remember. So it was quite a blow when I found out I could never return to active duty. But I had gotten over that long before I left Kings Point. So, if you are asking if I have any regrets about leaving the military and starting the job at Marymount, I assure you I don't."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Milliardo smiled softly, while Treize dialed the sheriff's phone number again.

"Maybe I ought to put that number on speed dial." he mused.

"Putting another guy's number on speed dial?" Milliardo asked, tongue in cheek. "If it was anyone else but Bonaparte I would be jealous."

###

"Open the door!" Hugh told his partner in crime.

Even though the interstate was relatively empty, the thief kept himself in the shadows, making sure he - and especially his gun- couldn't be seen by any car passing by at the wrong moment.

Another sound, like that of falling boxes, came from inside the boxcar. Carter hesitated for a brief moment.

_Maybe it's a stray animal that had crawled into the truck and got itself locked in_? he tried to tell himself as he reached for the silver colored door handle.

With a last look over his shoulder, and a nod in his partner's direction, he ripped the door open. At the same moment he felt a rush of freezing cold air. It was like he had opened a refrigerator truck. But before he had time to wonder about it, a force hit him in the chest, strong enough to send him flying backwards and knock both him and his companion of their feet. He landed on top of Hugh, pinning him down, and tried to scramble to his feet.

"What the hell was that?!"

Hugh had dropped his gun in the fall. Still fighting to catch his breath that had been knocked from his lunges by the impact, he managed to free his right arm and reached for the weapon. But just before his fingertips touched the steel the gun suddenly seemed to move. The thief blinked, then his eyes went wide when the pistol left the ground and started hovering in mid air.

His partner, noticing the floating gun as well, gave a shriek that didn't sound very manly but broke off abruptly when he suddenly found himself staring into the gun's black muzzle. He swallowed, mouth suddenly gone dry then cried out again as he felt himself grabbed by the front of his shirt.

###

"Watch out for toys in the road? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't ask, Harry. Sometimes it's just better not to know." Bonaparte replied as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

Harold "Harry" Tanner, sheriff of Broomswick county had been at home, getting ready for the Christmas party, when the call about the theft came in. He didn't even have time to get back into uniform before his colleague from Clear Creek came by to pick him up. Now he was driving one of the sheriff's department's jeeps sporting a white beard that had been attached with spirit gum and an oversized red suit.

_Oh well_, he thought with a hint of black humor. _If push comes to shove this suit might be the most unconventional bulletproof vest. _

His colleague had filled him in for the most part, and he had been able to listen in to the last two phone calls between Bonaparte and someone named Trend or Trey. He couldn't say that he was familiar with any deputy by that name.

"Is it at all possible for you speed up a little? If you drive any slower I will have to arrest you for breaking the minimum speed law."

Tanner snorted. "You sure this rust bucket of yours won't fall apart if I try?"

"Hey," Bonaparte shot back. "Insult me if you must, but not my car. It might not look like much but it is still better than anything you have in your fleet."

His colleague gave another snort, but before the two law enforcement veterans could continue their bantering they were stopped by an incoming radio call.

"Sheriff, this is ARGUS 3!" the helicopter pilot's voice came through the speaker.

Both men grew serious in an instant. Bonaparte picked up the microphone.

"Go ahead ARGUS 3, we are listening."

"We now have a visual on the stolen vehicle. It is parked at the left shoulder of the Interstate, about 4.5 miles out of town. Bay doors seem to be open."

"ARGUS 3 do we have any patrol cars in the vicinity?"

"Roger that. Two radio cars an unit are less than two miles away and heading for the scene. Backup is on the way but still a few minutes out. Looks like the truck has been abandoned, though... Strike that. Sheriff, we are now getting reports in from passing cars about gunfire being heard at the scene."

The two sheriffs exchanged a look.

"Have the area cleared of all motorists and set up road blocks at a safe distance," Bonaparte ordered. "Sheriff Tanner and I are on our way."

"Roger that," the helicopter pilot confirmed.

"Hold on to your hairpiece, Old-timer." Tanner announced as he flipped on the sirens and made an illegal U-turn across the double-yellow center line. "We will be taking some side roads."

###

"Did we miss anything?" asked Duo Maxwell as he joined Treize and the other's standing by their parked cars.

He and Heero arrived at the scene a good five minutes after their friends. The police had blocked the entrance to the interstate on both sides and kept everybody at a safe distance.

"Not much," the professor told him. "Apparently someone heard some shots earlier, so they are still debating how to proceed."

"Shots?!" Heero echoed. "Alexander is alright, isn't he?"

"I don't think a gun, or any man-made weapon for that matter, could hurt him." Milliardo replied, but there was a trace of uncertainty in his voice, and his eyes when he turned toward his lover. "Could they?"

"No dear, I don't think so. What I am more concerned about is Alexander doing something he might later regret. I mean, neither of us has any idea what he is really capable off if he gets angry. And right now, he is probably not a very happy ghost."

"Can't blame him, can you?" Milliardo added. "I should have never left that backpack in the truck. How could I be so careless? If anything was to happen to Alexander, I could never forgive myself."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Dear. He has been around the block a time or two and knows how to take care of himself, you know.

"Can you talk to him, Quatre?" Heero looked at his friend who shook his head in regret.

"Too many people, too many emotions flying around here. I can sense his presence... faintly. But that's about it. If I could just get a little closer..."

"No way of sneaking up, huh? From the other side maybe?"

"Maxwell!" Trowa shot the young man a glare. He was wearing his brown leather jacket open, revealing his shoulder holster, to get to his weapon as quickly as possible if need be. "Don't give him any crazy ideas."

"Sorry, just thinking out loud." Duo grinned, crookedly.

Just then, another blue and white with the sheriff departments logo pulled up behind the other cruisers. Sheriff Bonaparte exited quickly on the passenger side, while it took the driver a little longer and to get out.

Bonaparte moved around the vehicle to the back, popped open the trunk to remove two AR-15s and pass one of them on to his colleague.

"Wow!" Treize raised one eyebrow in a mixture of surprise and amusement. "That's certainly something I didn't think I'd ever see."

"By golly!" Duo exclaimed as he pulled out his cell phone to shoot a picture. "It's Old Nick, and he is carrying an assault rifle. Now there is something straight out of "The Night Santa went Crazy". Anybody care to wager whether the elves are using Uzi's or Sniper rifles?"

###

"Lieutenant?"

Clean shaven and baby-faced, Art Ramirez, Tanner's second in command, looked young enough to just have graduated from the police academy. A lot of people made the mistake of underestimating him due to his youthful appearance, but Ramirez was anything but naive or inexperienced. Like the sheriff, he had started his career as a soldier, finishing two tours of duty, and gone through sniper training before joining law enforcement.

The lieutenant pressed his teeth into his lower lip, trying hard not to burst into laughter as he approached the sheriff.

"Sir?!"

"One peep out of you, and **you **will be wearing this suit." Tanner warned. "Report!"

"Not much to report, Sir. We have not seen any kind of movement in the truck. A number of shots had been fired earlier, but nothing since we arrived. At first we thought, the perps might have taken off once they realized what they had actually stolen, but we have been hearing noises that seem to be coming from the back of the truck. The K-9 unit just arrived. Do you want us to send in the dog, or should we wait for the SWAT team? They are on their way."

"Let's hold off with that for the moment," Sheriff Bonaparte suggested. He had noticed Quatre Winner and his friends just outside the police barrier trying to get his attention. "Come with me."

"Who are those people?" Following his colleague's gaze, Tanner had noticed the group as well.

"The tall one with the reddish brown hair is Treize Khushrenada. You remember me talking to him on the phone? They are also the ones who discovered the theft, reported it and tracked down the truck for us."

"Ordinary civilians? I had assumed those were some of your men."

"Civilians, yes," Bonaparte confirmed as the trio approached the police barrier. "I wouldn't exactly call them ordinary, though."

Tanned frowned but didn't asked his colleague what he meant by that.

"This is Sheriff Tanner and his deputy, Lt. Ramirez," Bonaparte introduced them without much formality. "Harry, meet Misters Khushrenada, Peacecraft, Yuy, Maxwell, Barton and Winner." He pointed from one to the other until he reached Quatre.

"Is there something you need to tell us?" he asked the young man who had waved him over.

"Well, actually, I was hoping you could let me get closer to the truck."

Tanner's eyes narrowed slightly, assuming the blonde was some kind of reporter who wanted to shoot some exclusive pictures before the rest of the press arrived. "This isn't some kind of circus show," he barked.

"Says the man dressed like Santa Claus," remarked Duo dryly, earning himself a glare from Sheriff Tanner and a hidden grin from his lieutenant.

Bonaparte, ignoring his colleague's as well as Duo's remarks, gave Quatre Winner a guarded look. "Why?"

"If you do, I should be able to tell you if the thieves are still at the scene, how many there are and whether they are armed or not."

"There is something else, isn't there?" the sheriff assumed. "But you won't be able to tell me exactly what it is."

The young man said nothing, just gave the sheriff the most disarming smile he could muster.

Shaking his head, Bonaparte sighed. "Of course, why should this be any different than usually. How close do you need to get to the truck?"

Quatre shrugged. "Maybe fifty yards or so."

The sheriff turned his head, checking the distance, then studied the black BMW for a few seconds.

"That thing is armored, isn't it?"

"It is supposed to stop any standard bullets" Trowa confirmed. "Though, I've never seen a demonstration."

The young man took a step forward and Ramirez' eyes narrowed as he noticed the shoulder holster he was wearing. He exchanged a look with his sheriff, but before either of them could say anything Quatre stepped in.

"He is my bodyguard," he explained. "And he DOES have a license to carry that weapon."

"He does," Bonaparte confirmed, directed at his colleague, before turning toward Trowa Barton.

"I will give you exactly 10 minutes," he told him. "Drive your car up to the group of trees there, and not an inch further. Understood?!" He gestured at three large pines next to one another at the side of the road.

The young man nodded. "Got it."

"And don't even think about putting as much as a toe out of the car," he added, directed at Quatre.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sheriff," the blonde assured him.

"Just hold it right there. I don't know how you are handling things in Clear Creek, but in my county I don't let civilians waltz into a crime scene. Especially not if we don't know whether the criminals are still at the scene or not."

"Sheriff Tanner," Treize Khushrenada took a step forward. "Like Mister Winner said, he should be able to answer that question within moments if you let him. Wouldn't it be extremely valuable for you and your men to know how the criminals are armed and where they are hiding, if indeed they are still around?"

"Besides," Bonaparte added. "I'm surprised you didn't notice, but we crossed the county line about half a mile back. Strictly speaking, this is My crime scene."

"Still," Tanner insisted. "I don't think it's a good idea. They are not even deputized."

"That," his colleague told him, "can be easily corrected. You two..." He gestured at Trowa and Quatre. "Raise your right hand."

The two young men exchanged a surprised look then complied.

"Do you swear to uphold the constitution of these United States, follow the law and try to not get yourself shot?"

"I do!" Trowa declared solemnly.

Quatre nodded quickly. "So do I."

"Consider yourselves deputized. Keep in mind, you have 10 minutes. And remember what you just swore to; especially the part about not getting yourself shot."

"I can't believe you just did that." Tanner growled. "But why do I even bother? It's not like you ever listened to me before."

"Exactly," the other sheriff replied calmly. "What makes you think I would start now?"

"Wow, somebody put a muzzle on those two," Duo Maxwell suggested as the two men walked away. "Before they start biting each other."

"Don't worry, it's all bark." Lieutenant Ramirez told him with a grin. "From what I understand those two have known each other since grade school, fought in two wars and joined the police force together. And they haven't killed each other yet."

"Let's get going!" Trowa nudged his friend, thrusting his chin toward the black BMW. "We don't have all day."

"What? I'm not even getting the usual 'it's way too dangerous' speech?" Quatre teased.

"We only got 10 minutes, so why waste time in an argument that I'm bound to lose anyway? Now get into the car."

"Yes, Sir." With a smirk and a crisp salute Quatre hurried to the BMW.

"Tell Alexander I'm sorry about leaving the diary," Milliardo called after him. "It won't happen again."

"I'm pretty sure he knows," Quatre told him as he slipped into the passenger seat.

* * *

TBC

Author's note:


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This story was written by a fan only for the enjoyment of other fans, without any monetary compensation. Gundam Wing and its characters are registered trademarks of Bandai Entertainment Inc.™ and Sotsu Agency. All rights reserved.

A little Christmas story set in my Ghost Detective universe. Hope you enjoy!

**Alexander Clause  
**  
Chapter 3

"Is it close enough?" Trowa asked as he stopped the car just beside the group of pine trees. He left the motor running and shifted the gear into reverse, just in case. "Can you sense him?"

"What I'm sensing right now is actually a whole lot of emotions. Quite a bit of distress and fear..."

"He is scared? I can't blame him."

"No, I don't think so. Knowing Alexander, he is probably the one who did the frightening. I feel two people in the truck besides him. "

Quatre closed his eyes in concentration. His friend just watched patiently and silently until the blonde suddenly frowned.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I wanted to know what he is doing. He said he just finished wrapping Christmas presents."

"Wrapping Christmas presents?" Trowa echoed.

"For the police," Quatre nodded. "I wonder if that means what I think it means."

His friend shrugged. "Let's worry about that later. We don't have much time. Do you think he can somehow get a hold of the diary and make his way to our car?"

"He won't do it." Quatre shook his head. "He is refusing to leave."

"Why? Don't tell me he really **is** upset about Milliardo leaving the backpack in the truck?"

"No, quite the opposite. He says he hasn't had so much fun in ages."

"Then what's the problem?"

"No problem." Quatre told his friend. "It's just that he overheard the deputies talk about calling in the SWAT Team. Now he wants to wait for them to get here"

"The SWAT team?" Trowa echoed. "You are joking right?"

"No joke, I'm afraid. He thinks it would be really cool to see them in action. - It's your fault, you know."

"My fault?" the young man asked, puzzled.

"For watching those late night cop shows with him when he is over at our house." Quatre accused.

"We also watched Lord of the Rings together, but I haven't heard him asking to visit Middle Earth."

"Not yet," the blonde replied dryly.

Trowa gave an amused snort. "What are we going to do? Wait? I bet everyone at the hospital is frantic by now."

"Hold on, I might have an idea."

Again Quatre closed his eyes, concentrating as he once more tried to communicate with Alexander's spirit. A few moments later, when he opened his eyes again the young man smiled. "Done! I convinced him to forget about the SWAT team."

"How did you do that?"

"By promising him a ride in a police car, sirens and all."

"And how exactly are you going to accomplish that?"

"Just leave it to me. I've got a plan."

###

"What are they doing?"

The tinted windows made it nearly impossible to see into the car. They only could make out some movement in the front of the car, every once in a while.

Sheriff Bonaparte shook his head. "I'm not sure. To tell the truth I'm not sure I want to how what and how he is doing it, I just know that whatever it is, it helped me and the FBI solve several crimes including some very cold murder cases in the recent past."

"But you ARE sure you can trust them?"

"Absolutely."

"How do you know."

"I just know, alright? In here." the bearded man tapped against his sternum.

His colleague and friend snorted. "Are you sure that's not just indigestion? Wouldn't be surprising. The way you are eating..."

Before Bonaparte could fire back a reply the BMW's front window was rolled down. Quatre Winner stuck out his head and waved. His voice came slightly distorted through the Walkie-Talkie.

"All clear, Sheriff. You can send in your men now. And you can have them put away their weapons, they won't need them."

"Don't mind if I don't take his word on that." Tanner grumbled, even as he gestured for his men to move in on the truck.

Three deputies, led by Lieutenant Ramirez, approached with their guns drawn, ripped open the doors to the cab and checked the interior before moving on to the back of the car. Suddenly the quartet stopped. Sheriff Tanner could see them exchange looks with one another.

He raised the Walkie-Talkie to his lips. "What's going on, Lieutenant?"

"All clear, Sheriff." Ramirez's voice came back. "But I think you might want to see this for yourself."

###

Milliardo's phone rang while he and the other onlookers watched the police approach the truck.

"It's Relena." He pushed the talk button. "Hello?"

The young man listened for a few moments then frowned. "You have got to slow down, Lena."

"What's wrong?" Treize wanted to know.

"I'm not sure, " his lover whispered as he covered the phone with his hand. "When she gets excited my sister makes sounds only a chipmunk would be able to decipher."

Treize chuckled quietly. He knew it was true. He had been unfortunate enough to once pick up the phone when she called to tell them that Cabal had completely dug up her mother's new herb garden.

Removing his hand and putting the phone back to his ear again Milliardo sighed. "I know...I know, Relena. The police is doing their best, in fact they are working on it right now. No, I don't know how much longer it will take., but let me try to find out. I'll call you back, okay?"

###

"What the..." Sheriff Tanner scratched his head as he threw a look into the back of the truck. He wasn't sure what he had expected to find, but it certainly wasn't this.

Two men, one of them tall and lanky the other a bit on the pudgy side and bald as a baby's butt, were tied up with a pair of colorful jump ropes. They were sitting back to back; a large hula-hoop slipped over their bodies joined them together. And as though to add insult to injury, someone had placed a large red bow on the shorter crooks shiny round head. It was a sight to behold.

And behold they did. Sheriff Bonaparte and his colleague, the lieutenant and the rest of the deputies, they all stood and started, expressions of amusement, surprise and utter disbelief on their faces, until someone in the back cleared his throat.

"Excuse me?!" Quatre Winner smiled politely. "We just got word from the Hospital. The kids are getting a little restless, I'm afraid. They have been singing 'Santa Claus is coming to Town' for the third time now, and there still is no sign of St. Nick."

"That's right." Sheriff Bonaparte turned toward his old friend. "You should be on the road. Can't disappoint the kids, now can we?"

"But what about this?" Tanner made a sweeping motion that included the tuck and everything around it.

"Not much more to do here but process the scene and take these clowns into custody. My men are on the way, too Leave me Ramirez, he and I will take care of things until they get here."

"Umm..." Quatre raised his hand. "What about the toys?"

"Right! Well, we can't move the truck until it has been processed..."

"I don't think we really need the truck." Trowa let his gaze sweep over all the police vehicles at the scene.

Bonaparte nodded. "Let's do it."

While the two failures of the criminal profession were taken to one of the sheriff's vehicles Quatre waved over his friends. Without any delay everybody started moving boxes into every available vehicle. If anybody would have really paid attention he might have noticed a few packages here and there that came flying off the truck as though they were moved by invisible hands.

In less than thirty minutes a caravan of Blue and Whites, stuffed with toys, and led by none other than Santa Claus himself was ready to head to the Children's Cancer Center. Quatre managed to catch up with sheriff Tanner just as they were about to drive off.

"Sheriff! Sheriff!" he called out. "Could you do me a huge favor and take this with you to the hospital?"

Holding up Milliardo's backpack which he had managed to snatch from the truck's cab earlier when nobody was watching, he added: "It is important that it gets there quickly, and you will probably arrived before us."

"Well, I guess so," the sheriff agreed.

"Thanks, Sheriff. I will have Miss Peacecraft meet you when you get there."

As the convoy took off with flashing lights and blaring sirens, Milliardo grabbed his friend by the arm. Panic was clearly written across his face.

"What did you do just now? My backpack..."

"Relax!" Quatre smiled reassuringly. "I'll explain. But first you should call your sister and tell her to take care of the backpack and Alexander until we get there."

####

**Another week later - Christmas Morning!**

"Last one!" Treize Khushrenada nearly had to crawl all the way under the Christmas tree to reach the box wrapped in blue and gold paper. "Let's see who it is for."

Across from him, Cabal, surrounded by piles of dog toys and treats and wearing a brand new collar, wagged his tail in apparent anticipation. His lover, on the couch, was stuffing discarded wrapping paper into a large trash bag, while Alexander was flipping through the complete collection of "Father Brown's Mysteries" which he had just unpacked.

"And the winner is..." the professor paused briefly for the effect. "Milliardo."

The young man looked up, surprised.

"Treize!" He admonished playfully as he accepted the package. "I thought we said only two presents per person each."

"I know, I know," his lover confirmed. "This one isn't from me."

"It isn't?!" As Milliardo started to rip away the paper he revealed a plain white box, about a square foot big. He tilted his head in contemplation, wondering what was in the box and who it came from. Even Alexander had put aside his book and seemed to be watching.

"Come one, what is it?" Treize wanted to know.

The young man gave an amused snort as he finally opened the top flap of the box and pulled out a black plastic helmet, recognizable to anyone who knew anything about Star Wars. The toy was a little too small to actually fit his head, but Milliardo held the voice changer microphone to his lips. He made a few labored breathing sound that made Cabal's ears go straight up, before announcing in a deep and very Darth Vader like voice "Join me Treize, and together we will rule the universe!"

His lover gave a low laugh. "So this is, as Relena put it, the most annoying toy ever,? I admit, I will have to agree with her on that one."

Milliardo gave another amused snort as he turned to Alexander. "So Grandma wasn't the culprit after all. I can't believe you actually kept it all these years."

"I can't believe he actually listened in on our conversation," Treize added. "I could have sworn he was in the kitchen."

"Well, thanks anyway for returning it, Alexander. I will try to not overuse it this time. Only one more thing." Milliardo smirked as he once again raised the microphone. "And Merry Christmas to all of us!"

###

"Merry Christmas! Are you awake?"

"Merry Christmas!" Quatre smiled as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Did you sleep well, by yourself?" Trowa asked.

Spending the holidays in a hotel in Aspen with the extended Winner clan meant that sleeping in the same bed, or even the same room, was out of question. So the adjoined suits with connecting door, Quatre had insisted on for himself and his bodyguard, were coming in handy.

"Slept like a log." The young man put his arms around Trowa, pulling him closer, but frowned when he felt something soft between their bodies. "What's that?"

Surprise then recognition crossed his face as he pulled out a stuffed animal...a stuff dog to be precise, the one Alexander had thrown from the truck to get their attention.

"You kept him?" There was a tone of delight in his voice. "I was sure he had ended up in some trashcan."

The brunette shrugged. "He was sacrificed for the greater good, I figured he deserved to be rescued."

"Thanks." Quatre smiled as he studied the fluffy dog. It had obviously been washed- he detected a faint scent of Trowa's favorite shampoo in the brown and white fur - and a large red bow put around its neck. A few dark stitches at the left ear, which had been nearly ripped off during the accident, were the only reminders of the ordeal the little guy had gone through.

"Thanks," the young man repeated as he leaned in to reward Trowa with a kiss."I will cherish him."

"You are welcome. You will have to give him a name, though, if you are going to keep him."

"But he already has one."

"He does?"

"Breadcrumb, of course."

"Of course!" Trowa laughed.

TBC

Author's note:


End file.
